Self-closing measuring valve



Nov. 28, 1939. JQ FRASER SELF-CLOSING MEAsumNG VALVE Filed July 2, 1938INVENTOR 'J4/w15 /kqf/f A3 4 5 A J J J .2. .1', ,G G lvafr. www@ 5.4MATTORNEY I Patented Nov. 28,1939

l2,181,581 n i SELF-CLOSING MEASURING VALVE.

` James Fraser, Edge Moor, D'el., assignor to Speakman Company,Wilmington, Del., a corporation of Delaware Application July 2, 193s,serial Nor. 217,152

3 Claims.

The general object lof the present invention is to provide an improvedself-closing measuring valve structure primarily devised and adapted foruse as a lavatory supply valve, and characterized by its mechanicalsimplicity and effec-r` tiveness, and by its quiet and ei'ectiveoperation, and by the ease and accuracy with which it may be adjusted tovary the amount of water discharged by the valve on each normalactuation l0' thereof.

The various features of novelty Which char-k acterise my invention varepointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming apart of this specification. For a better understandingof the invention,however, its advantages and specific ob-jects attained with its use,reference should be had to the accompanying drawing and descriptivematter in which I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of theinvention.

1 outlet lchamber A2, with a lateral discharge spout A3 leading awayfrom the chamber A2. The casingelement A is formed with an internalannular shoulder A4 between its inlet and outlet chambers A and A2, andagainst which the inner lower t end of a tubular valve guide and seatmember C is normally clamped. The member C extends through an internallythreaded opening A5 in the top wall of the casing element'A, and is inthreaded engagement therewith. As shown, a gasket or washer A6 isinterposed between the shoulder A4 and an annular flange portion of themember C, in abutting relation with said shoulder. The bore of thetubular member C comprises an upper plunger chamber portion C',separated by a gasket or packing C2 from a lower Water chamber portionC3. Water may enter the cham' ber C3 at its lower end through an axialport C4, and passes from the chamber C through latera-l ports C5 intothe casing outlet chamber A2.

The flow of water from the casing inlet chamber A through the port C4 tothe outlet chamber A2, is controlled by an axially movable valve memberE, which in its normally closed position seats against a valve seatwasher D, coaxial with the port C4, and clamped against the lower endinto its closed position. Imovement of the valve E from its wide open tooi the valve member Cat the margin of said port. The valve vmember E issecured to the lower end ofk a coaxial valve stem E', which extendsthrough chambers C3 and packing C2, and has its outer end secured to aplunger element F which exl?A tends into the plunger chamber C throughthe open upper end of the latter. v

The plunger F is externally threaded, and is screwed into an internallythreaded socket formed in a push button member G of inverted cup shape,and having a lower rim or skirt portion G which is adapted to surround,and be in telescopic relation with the upper portion o1 the wall of thechamber C'. Rotation of the member G relative to the' plunger F, effectstheir relative adjustment in the direction of the length of the plunger,and thereby determines the extent of opening movement which can be giventhe valve member E, said extent being directly dependent on the distancebetween the upper end of the member C and the annular internal shoulderG2, extending inwardly from the outer end of the skirt portion G' of themember G, or, as shown, by the distance between the member C and thewasher G3 forming a facing for said shoulder, and preferably formed ofsome suitable non-metallic material to avoid the generation of noisevwhen moved into engagement with the member C.

To permit the parts F and G to be readily adjusted relative to oneanother and to be secured v radially away from the member F, into aguide groove C'I formed in the inner wall of the plunger chamber C. 40,

A spring I, acting between the packing C2 and the plunger F, biases the.valve E for movement The time required for its fully closed position isregulated by timing means comprising a hollow element J formed with apistonl chamber J coaxial with and beneath the member C, and having anenlarged upper end extension internally threaded to receive a shortexternally threaded lower end por- 50- outlet chamber A2, when the valvemember E is out of its closed position. The lower end of the pistonchamber J in the member J is closed except for an axial port J3 of smalldiameter. The speed oi the closing movements of the valve member E arecontrolled by a'timing or dashpot piston, which comprises a cup part Kof leather, having its body, or cup bottom portion, clamped against thelower end of the valve member E, by a clamping member L, into which thelower end portion of the valve stem E' is threaded.

The members E and L are somewhat smaller in diameter than the pistonchamber J and the cylindrical portion of the piston cup leather may moveinwardly enough to permit water to pass freely upward past the pistonfrom the lower end of the timing cylinder J', on the opening downmovement of the valve E, so as to not significantly impede thatmovement. As the valve E moves in the closing direction under the actionof its bias spring I, however, the cup leather` K expands into closeContact with `the cylindrical wall of the chamber J', and prevents ilowof water downward past the cup leather washer into the lower end oftiming chamber J In consequence, the rat-e of the up, or closing,movement1 oi the valve E, is dependent upon the definite time periodrequired for the piston chamber J to ll with water through the re- 1stricted orice J3.

The clamping member L is provided with an axial extension in the form oa rod L slightly Smaller in diameter than the passage J3, which extendsinto the latter, so that the orice J3 is vsubjected to a cleaning actionon each valve movement. As shown, the member J is formed with a chamberJ4 beneath, coaxial with, and larger in diameter than the port J3, andcommunicating at its lower end with the inlet chamn -I ber A', through ascreen J5, which prevents forlocation or the parts, when the valvemechanism is vertically disposed as shown in the drawing, and as isusual, but those skilled in the art ywill understand that the use of theinvention does not require the valve mechanism to bev verticallydisposed.

-. threaded portion the valve.

In the construction shown, all of the valve mechanism parts are mountedin or attached to the seat and guide member C and collectively form avaive mechanism unit which may be bodily :mounted in the casing elementand removed therefrom.

To facilitate the removal of the unit, the member C has a portion CGshaped for engagement by a wrench employed to thread the member C intoand out of engagement with the A5 of the casing element. When the unitis detached from the casing, its movable parts can be moved, and theiroperative condition determined in many cases, without disassembling theunit.

The valve mechanism shown is positive in operation, free from hammeringor chattering, and the valve member E is adapted to seat tightly, andthus avoid drippage, andthe restricted timing port J 3 is eectivelycleaned on each operation of The advantages just referred to areobtained, moreover, with a construction which is relatively simple andcompact, and which is characterized in particular by the ease andaccuracy with which the extent of valve opening movement may be adjustedso as to thereby vary the amount of water discharged, on each normaloperation of the valve.

The form and disposition of the push button member' G, is especiallyadvantageous because the skirt portion G of the member extends over andforms a cover for the joint between the plunger F and the wall of thechamber C and thus forms a shield against the passage of dust or dirtinto that joint and chamber, Furthermore, with the push button formed,and associated with a member C formed as shown, Ythe adjustment partsare made readily accessible, and are protected against contact withwater, while at the same time the valve construction may be made compactand given a pleasing appearance,

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

l. A self-closing, measuring basin supply faucet, comprising a casingelement formed with a lower inlet chamber, an upper outlet chamber, achamber connecting portion, and a wall opening above said outlet chamberand a lateral discharge spout opening from said outlet chamber, and aValve mechanism unit removably mounted in said element and comprising amember extending through said wall opening and across said outletchamber and into said connecting portion, and forming a partitionbetween said chambers with a valve controlled port therein, a valvemovable downward away from, and biased for movement upward intoengagement with said member to thereby open and close respectively andhaving a valve stem extending upwardly through said member, a plungertelescopically movable in the upper end portion of said member andconnected to said valve stem, a push button mounted on andadjustableaxially of said plunger to thereby reg-- ulate the extent ofopening movement of the valve which is terminated by engagement of saidplunger and member, a hollow element detachably secured to said memberand extending downwardlyl therefrom into said inlet chamber andcomprising a timing chamber coaxial with said member and in freecommunication at its upper end with said inlet chamber and with saidport when said valve member is out of its closed position, andcommunicating with the inlet chamber through a straight restrictedpassage formed in the lower end portion of said element, and a pistondevice connected to said valve and adapted to permit the relative freemovement of liquid from the lower end of said timing chamber upward pastsaid device on down movement of the valve, and to form a barrier to theflow of liquid downward past said device into the lower end ol saidchamber'on up movement of said valve.

2. A self-closing,` measuring valve structure comprising a casingelement formed with a lower inlet chamber, an upper outlet chamber and awall opening above said outlet chamber, and a valve mecl'lanism unitremovably mounted in said element and comprising a member extendingthrough said wall opening and across said outlet chamber and'into saidinlet chamber, and forming a partition between said chambers with avalve controlled port therein, a valve movable downward away from, andbiased for movement upward into engagement with said member to therebyopen and close, respectively, and having a valve stem extending upwardlythrough said member, a plunger telesccpically movable in the upper endportion of said member and connected to said valve stern, and comprisinga lower'skirt portion surrounding and spaced away from the lower portionof the plunger and thereby providing an annular recess receiving theupper end of said member, non-metallic material mounted in the upper endof said recess in position tol engage said member when said push buttonis depressed to open the valve, a push butto-n mounted on and adjustableaxially of said plunger to thereby regulate the extent of the openingmovement of the Valve which is terminated by engagement of said plungerand member, a hollow element secured to said member and extendingdownwardly therefrom into said inlet chamber and comprising a, timingchamber coaxial with said member and in free communication at its upperend with said inlet chamber and with said port when said valve member isout of its closed position, and communicating at its lower end with theinlet chamber i through a restricted passage, andapiston deviceconnected to said valve and adapted to permit the relative free movementof liquid from the lower end of said timing chamber upward past saiddevice on down movement of the valve, and to form a barrier to the flowof liquid downward past said device into the lower end of said chamberon up movement of said valve.

. 3. A faucet as specified in claim 1, in which the restricted passagethrough which the timing chamber communicates with the inlet chamber, isan axial passage in the bottom wall of thetiming chamber, and in which apassage cleaning pin secured to the Valve extends into, but does not llsaid passage. k

, JAMES FRASER.

